Glue line moistener for cigarette making machines



Aug. 29, 1961 w. N. BAHNMAN 2,998,013

GLUE LINE MOISTENER FOR CIGARETTE MAKING MACHINES Filed May 19, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTGK WALDO N. BAHNMAN I By a. HT'IURNEIO' I GLUE LINE MOISTENER FOR CIGARETTE MAKING MACHINES Filed May 19, 1959 Aug. 29, 1961 w. N. BAHNMAN 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VENwR N. BAHNMAN WALDO Arm/(HEY! UnitedSates Patent 2,998,013 7 GLUE LINE MOISIENER FOR CIGARETTE MAKING MACHINES Waldo N. Bahnman, Box '190, Clearhrook, British Columbia, Canada Filed May 19, 1959, Ser. No. 814,345 11 Claims. (Cl. 131-59) This invention relates to improvements in cigarette making machines.

The main object of this invention is the provision of an improved glue line moistening apparatus of a cigarette making machine, particularly the one described in United States Patent No. 2,335,514, issued to Erdman Rudolph Hiebert on November 30, 1943. The cigarette machine described in this patent includes a barrel mounted on a base, an endless belt having at least one turn around the barrel, an intermittently rotating drum to draw the belt and a continuous narrow strip of gumrned cigarette paper around the barrel to move said paper therearound under pressure to form a spiral tube, means fori ll ecting tobacco into the tube, a finger gauge adapted to permit the drum to rotate intermittently when sufiicient tobacco has been packed into the tube, and a moistener continuously reciprocating to contact the glue line of the tube.

A disadvantage of the patented machine is that the glue line moistener continues to operate even when there is insufiicient tobacco in thejtube to operate thefinger gauge and cause said tube to be moved-through the machine. As a result of this action, the tube is occasionally soaked in one particular area, thusweakening the paper and causingitto break. I Y q This disadvantage is overcome in the presentmachine by the provision of a glue line moistener whichis'operated only when the mechanism for moving the tube through the machine is in operation. The; glue line moistener operates in combination with apart of the machine and comprises a reservoir for a liquid, a wick in the reservoir extending outwardly therefrom, means for supporting the reservoir with the wick normally spaced from the gummed edge of the paper strip, and means for moving the wick into engagement with the gumrned edge to moisten the latter when the tube is moving through the machine. I w A further advantage of the present glue line moistener is that its reservoir may be easily removed for refilling purposes.

rette making machine comprises a barrel 10 which projects outwardly from a support 11 located on a base 12. The diameter of the barrel is substantially equal to that of an ordinary cigarette. A worm or other suitable mecha- Patented Aug. 29, 1961 nism (not shown) is provided for feeding tobacco into the supported end of the barrel. For the sake of convenience, the end 13 of the base 12 will hereinafter be referred to as the feed end and the end 14 as the discharge end.

An endless belt 15 having at least one turn around the barrel 10 adjacent its free end, extends across the Inachine at an angle to both the barrel and the ends of the machine. Suitable means is provided for drawing the belt around the barrel, such as, for example, a drum 16 positioned in line with the belt near one side of the barrel, the upper surface of the drum being substantially parallel with the upper surface of the barrel, see FIG- URE 3. This drum is fixedly mounted on a shaft 17 which is journalled in a support 18 and a standardv 19 spaced from the support, said support and standard being substantially parallel to the belt 15 and at an angle relative to tube 10. A ratchet-wheel 21 is fixedly mounted on the shaft 17 between the support 18 and the standard 19. The drum 16 is adapted positively to grip the belt and to this end it is provided with a plurality of shot pins 22 projecting outwardly from the periphery thereof which stick into the belt as it passes over the drum surface. The drum has a vertical flange 23- proiecting outwardly from its surface at the side thereof closest to the feed end 13 of the device. This flange prevents the belt from creeping along the barrel towards the end 13 of the device when the drum is rotated. 1

At the opposite side of the barrel 10, the belt 15 passes over a suitable bearing 25 lying in substantially the same plane as the top of the barrel, see FIGURES 1, 2 and 3, this bearing being carried by support 11. A spring piece 26 extends downwardly from the bearing 25 and its lower or free end tends to spring outwardly so that the belt, which extends over this piece, is kept relatively taut or, in other words, the spring piece 26 takes up any slack in the belt.

As the upper part of the belt 15 on one side of the barrel is not in line with that on the other side thereof, owing to the twist or snub about the barrel, it is necessary to have two spaced vertical pins 27, see FIGURE 3, extending upwardly from the base 12, one being in line with the drum 16 and the other in line with the bearing 25 and the spring piece 26. In travelling from the drum to the lower end of the spring piece, the belt moves around one side of the pin in line with the drum and around the opposite side of the other pin.

Suitable means is provided for retaining a roll 30 of relatively narrow cigarette paper which has a gurnmed edge 31, said roll being held substantially parallel to the belt 15 and in line with the portion of the latter moving over the bearing '25, see FIGURE 1. In the drawings, the roll rests loosely in a receptacle 32 made up of a curved strip of resilient metal 33 forming the bottom and outer end of the receptacle, and a plate 34 on one side thereof, said plate actually being an extension of support 11 in this example, the side of the drum 16 and its flange 23 forming the opposite side of the receptacle. The strip of metal 33 extends inwardly beneath the barrel 10 Where it is bent in an easy curve back on itself and anchored at 35 on a brace 36 extending between the supports 11 and 18 above the base 12, see FIGURE 3.

. A strip of paper 37 is drawn from the bottom of roll thereof closest to the feedend 13 of the device.

I p A A g 3 30 over the portion of metal strip 33 extending away from the bottom of receptacle 32, and then along the lower surface of a guide 38. This guide, see FIGURE 3, extends from a point just above the strip 33 towards the side of the machine opposite to that on which the re ceptacle 32 is located, and then it is bent in a gradual curve upwardly and over itself and beneath the belt 15 to join a relative narrow table 39 over which the belt is moved, this table extending the full length of the machine, as shown in FIGURE 1. A vertical guide 40 is mountedon the table alongside the belt on the side The paper follows the guide 38 and passes over the table 39 beneath the belt. The belt presses against the paper over the table, and it is the movement of the belt that draws the strip of paper from the roll. As the belt progresses, it draws the strip of paper around the barrel in a spiral, the paper making at least one complete turn around said barrel. The belt'applies considerable pressure to the paper since the belt is drawn around the barrel and there is a snubbing action at the barrel. Thisangle of the belt and the paper to the barrel is such that the gummed edge of the strip arriving at the barrel overlaps the opposite or free edge of that portion of the strip which has already travelled around the barrel.

A shaft 41 extends beneath the barrel 10 at approximately right angles to the belt 15. This shaft has one end journalled in a bearing 42 carried by the support 11 and its opposite end extends through and is journalled in the support 18, and it may be rotated by a crank or other suitable means, not shown, said crank or other means being connected to the shaft near' end 13 of, base 12.

Suitable means is provided for moistening the gummed edge of the paper just before it reaches the barrel 10. The gummed edge is preferably intermittently moistened, in order to avoid the possibility of soaking and weakening the paper. In the illustrated form of the invention, the moistening means consists of a water reservoir 44, see FIGURE 3, located adjacent the strip of paper 37 where it passes over the table 39, said reservoir having a wick '45 projecting upwardly therefrom. A notch 46, see FIG- URE l, is formed in the table to enable the wick to be moved upwardly against the gummed edge of the strip of Pap The water reservoir 44 is removably supported immediately beneath table 39 and near barrel'10 by a resilient arm 50 having an end fixedly attached to one end of the reservoir. Arm 50 extends downwardly and outwardly from the reservoir, as clearly shown in FIGURES 2 and 3. The lower or outer end of the arm is preferably bifurcated at 51 to permit it to be detachably fitted over an element of the machine, such as a vertical wall 52 on its base 12. A substantially U-shaped clip 53 has one end attached to the wall 52 at 54 and its opposite end bearing downwardly at 55 on the end 51 of the arm frictionally to retain said end in position. Itis desirable, although not absolutely essential, to have a curved spring 57 pro .jeoti ng from the end of the reservoir remote from the arm 50 to rest freely on an adjacent part of the machine, such as the shaft 41. I V The drum 16 is rotated in a manner to be described and draws the belt and the strip of paper 37 around the barrel 10. The very great pressure of the belt against the paper on the barrel presses the moistened gummed edge of the paper lying therebeneath during at least one turn around the barrel. Thisforms a continual spirallywound tube 59 of cigarette paper, hereinafter called a spiral tube, which is moved off the end of the barrel by the new paper being continually fed thereto. Tobacco is continuously fed into the end 58 of'barrel 10 in any convenient manner, and passes therethrough and is injected into the spiral tube as it is formed.

The drum 16 maybe rotated in any suitable'manner and this rotationiis preferably intermittent. The means for rotating the drum is shown in conjunction with means for controlling the pressure of the tobacco in the tube 59.

A clutch disc 60 is fixedly mounted on the shaft 41 beyond the support 18 and substantially in the plane of rotation of the ratchet wheel 21, see FIGURE 2. This clutch disc consists of spaced discs 61, see FIGURE 4, having one or more eccentric pins 62, in this case two, extending therebetween equi-spaced from each other and from the shaft 41. An arcuate control arm 65 extends upwardly over and clear of the barrel 10 and table 39 substantially parallel with belt 15. This arm has a downwardly extending radial arrn 66 at one end, which is freely mounted onrand extends upwardly from the shaft 17 between the support 18 and the ratchet wheel 21, and at its opposite end the control arm curves over and around the outer edge of the clutch disc 60, as clearly seen in FIGURE 2, but it isspaced from said edge and terminates adjacent the bottom of the disc. A slightly tapered tube 67 is mounted on the outer end of the control arm and points inwardly and upwardly towards the clutch disc. A

pointed pin 68 extends outwardly from .the inner end of the tube 67 into the space between the discs 61 and terminates at a point adjacent the bottom of the circular path of the pins 62. A curved spring 69 extends from the arm 65 into the outer end of the tube 67 to press the pin 68 into its extreme outermost position. A pawl 70 is pivotally mounted on the control arm at the radial arm 66, said pawl being adapted to engage the teeth of the ratchet wheel 21 to turn said wheel to the left in FIGURE 2 when the outer end of the control arm 65 is raised upwardly, and to move over a deflector shelf 71 projecting outwardly from the support 18 over the ratchet wheel, when the outer end of the control arm is dropped downwardly. Another pawl 72 extending upwardly from the base 12, engages the teeth of the ratchet wheel in order to prevent it from being turned to the right in FIGURE 2.

A finger gauge 75 is mounted on the control arm 65 between the ends thereof. This finger gauge consists of a vertical rod 76 having a head 77 at its lower end. The rod 75 is bent at its upper end over and along the upper edge of the control arm to form a horizontal rod 78. Just as the rod 76, the rod 78 is normally spaced above the control arm but the horizontal rod is bent downwardly towards the arm until its opposite end touches the con trol arm where it is connected thereto in any suitable manner. As the upper edge of the control arm'is curved, the natural tendency of the free end of the horizontal rod is to remain above the arm. A slide 79 operating on tracks 80 on each side of the control arm at the upper edge thereof, lies over the control rod 78 and when this slide is moved towards the free end of the horizontal rod, the latter is drawn or bent downwardly and, consequently, the vertical rod 76 and its head 77 are moved downwardly. In other words, the position of the finger gauge in relation to thecontrol armmay be adjusted by moving the slide 79 back and forth over the rod 78.

The finger gauge 75 rests on the filled spiral tube 59 beyond barrel 10, see FIGURE 2, and holds up'the outer end of the control arm 65. When the pressure of the tobacco in the tube reaches the required point, the control arm is held in such a' position that the tip of the pin 68 lies in the path of the pins 62 of the clutch disc 60. When a pin 62 comes around, it engages the tip of the pin 68v and begins to move the latter pin and the outer end of the control arm upwardly. As thepin 62 continues along its circular course, it first moves along the pin 68 towards the control arm, thus magnifying the engagement of the'two -pins'to ensure a positive grip therebetween. As the pin 62 further continues its course, it recedes from the control arm and finally disengages the pin 68 to permit the control arm to drop downwardly until the next pin'62 engages the pin 68. During the first part of the'upward movement of the control arm, the ratchet wheel .21 remains stationary while the pawl 70 moves off the deflector shelf 71, but during-the latter-part of said movement, the pawl engages the teeth of the ratchet wheel to turn the latter, which in turn, rotates the drum 16. I

When the pressure of the tobacco in the cigarette tube 59 is not suflicient, the finger gauge 75 presses the wall of the tube downwardly, thus permitting the control arm to drop downwardly to move the pin 68 out of the path of the pins 62. This condition remains until the pressures of the tobacco in the tube is great enough to raise the finger gauge and the control arm upwardly to return the pin 68 into the path of the fingers 62. The ratchet wheel 21 and the drum 16 remain stationary when the pressure of the tobacco in the tube 59 is below a predetermined point. The desired pressure of this tobacco may be regulated by moving the slide 79 along the control arm to raise or lower the finger gauge in relation to said arm, the lower said gauge is the lower the pressure required in the tube 59 to set the drum 16 into motion and vice versa.

Means is provided on the control arm 65 for moving the wick 45 into engagement with the gummed edge 31 of the paper 30 each time said arm is reciprocated. This means preferably consists of a lug 82, see FIGURES 2 and 4, extending laterally from a point adjacent the free end of the control arm 65 in order that it will engage and lift the reservoir each time said arm is raised by the pins of clutch disc 60. Each time the free end of arm 65 is raised, it is lifted sufiiciently to cause lug 82 to engage the bottom of reservoir 44 to move the latter upwardly with it. As this takes place near the end of the upward travel of the arm and lug, wick 45 is lifted only enough to touch the lower surface of paper strip 37. This action brings the wick 45 into engagement with the paper above it to moisten the gummed edge 31 of said paper, which is facing downwardly over the wick.

In operation, the shaft 41 is rotated and tobacco is continuously directed into the entrance end of barrel in any desired manner. The shaft rotates the clutch disc 60 which, when the pressure of the tobacco in the cigarette reaches a predetermined point, intermittently raises the free end of the control arm 65 to cause said arm intermittently to rotate the drum 16. This drum, in turn, draws the belt and, consequently, the strip of paper 37 around the barrel 10 to form the spiral tube 59. This tube is filled with tobacco to form an endless cigarette which is cut into the desired lengths in any convenient manner.

Although shaft 41 rotates continuously drum 16 remains stationary if the tobacco in the spiral tube is not packed tightly enough. This is due to the fact under these conditions the finger gauge 75 has permitted the free end of the control arm to drop down so far that the pin 68 clears the eccentric pins 62. This condition remains until the tobacco in the spiral tube builds up sulficient pressure to raise the finger gauge the required distance to move the point of the pin 68 into the path of the pins 62.

The wick 45 of the reservoir 44 moistens the gummed edge of the strip of paper 37 as it passes thereover. The main feature of this cigarette making machine improvement is that the wick is raised to contact the gummed edge only when the control arm is operating. Each time the control arm is raised, lug 82 engages the bottom of the reservoir and raises the wick until the latter touches the cigarette paper. If the arm remains in its lowermost position for any length of time, the wick remains clear of the paper. This prevents the paper from being soaked in any particular area, thus eliminating the possibility of it becoming weakened and broken. The arm 50 is sufliciently resilient to permit the reservoir to return under its own weight to its normal position, and the spring 57, when it contacts the shaft 41, acts as a resilient stop to limit the downward travel of the reservoir. A further advantage of this improvement is that the bifurcated end 6 51 of the 50 and the spring clip 53 permit the yoir to be conveniently removed and replaced when it needs'to be refilled.

What I claim as my invention is:

'1. In a cigarette making machine having a base and a pivotally mounted control arm to be reciprocated intermittently to operate a ratchet and advance a spiral paper tube through the machine while said tube is being filled with tobacco, said tube being formed by a strip of paper having a gummed edge, the combination with said control arm of a glue line moistener comprising a reservoir for a liquid, a wick in the reservoir extending outwardly therefrom, means for supporting the reservoir with the wick normally spaced from the gummed edge of the paper strip, and means connected to the control arm for engaging the reservoir to move the Wick into engagement with the gummed edge each time the is reciprocated to moisten such edge.

2. A glue line moistener as claimed in claim 1 in which the means for supporting the reservoir consists of a resilient arm anchored at one end to the machine and connected at its opposite end to the reservoir.

3. A glue line moistener as claimed in claim 1 in which the means for supporting the reservoir consists of a resilient arm anchored at one end to the machine and connected at its opposite end to an end of the reservoir, and a spring connected to the opposite end of the reservoir freely resting on a part of the machine.

4. A glue line moistener as claimed in claim l in which the means for supporting the reservoir is a resilient arm having one end attached to the reservoir, its opposite end being bifurcated detachably to fit over a vertical wall of the machine base, and a spring clip on said wall for frictionally retaining the bifurcated end in position.

5. A glue line moistener as claimed in claim 1 in which the means for supporting the reservoir is a resilient arm having one end attached to the reservoir, its opposite end being bifurcated detachably to fit over a vertical wall of the machine base, a spring clip on said wall for f-rictionally retaining the bifurcated end in position, and a spring connected to the opposite end of the reservoir, freely resting on a part of the machine.

6. In a cigarette making machine having a base and a pivotally mounted control arm to be reciprocated intermittently to operate a ratchet and advance a spiral paper tube through the machine while said tube is being filled with tobacco, said tube being formed by a strip of paper having a gummed edge, the combination with said control arm of a glue line moistener comprising a reservoir for a liquid, a wick in the reservoir extending outwardly therefrom, means for supporting the reservoir with the wick normally spaced from the gummed edge of the paper strip, and means operated by the control arm for moving the wick into engagement with the gummed edge each time the arm is reciprocated to moisten said edge.

7. In a cigarette making machine having a base and a pivotally mounted control arm to be reciprocated intermittently to operate a ratchet and advance a spiral paper tube through the machine while said tube is being filled with tobacco, said tube being formed by a strip of paper having a gummed edge, the combination with said control arm of a glue line moistener comprising a reservoir for a liquid, a wick in the reservoir extending outwardly, therefrom, means for supporting the reservoir with the wick normally spaced from the gummed edge of the paper strip, and a lug on the arm for engaging the reservoir each time the arm is reciprocated to move the wick into engagement with the gummed edge to moisten the latter.

8. A glue line moistener as claimed in claim 7 in which the reservoir supporting means comprises a resilient arm anchored at one end to the machine and connected at its opposite end to the reservoir.

9. A glue line moistener as claimed in claim 7 in which the reservoir supporting means comprises a resilient arm ah chbred atone end to the machine "afid conhec ted atits op pbsite end td-zin end of the reservoir, aild a sprihgegzinected to the oppositefing 05, 1 IVEJ1tI ire lyi fifi 9 3 33.1 f h m d i v l .e t r W I 1.0,- A gl e line mQ enerras claimed in slaimfin whi h like. zeser'vczir supporting means egmpgises .a. resiliegt arm havingone end attachedto'the rteservoigtitflppos'ite end being bifurcated to be detachably fittedoirelz a vertical 8 tha-esefvoifsupmrting means compriseseresili'ent am having one end attaehed to the eservoir, itspp'posite end being bifurcated to be detachably fitted Over avertical Wall of the machine base a spripg clip on said-wall for 5 fii iionauyretamifigme bifurcated end in'p'qsition, 'ahd a sprifig" {:onfieeted to the Opposite end of the reservoir freely'testing pn part of the machine.

References Citedin the file of this patent V UNITED STATES PATENTS 2 ,335,574 Hiebert -Nov. so, 1943 

